Standard Editing: Includes basic corrections plus minor retouching like cropping
Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2025 5:48 am
Filmy/Cinematic: Muted tones, reduced clarity, and a soft, nostalgic film-like quality.
Look at your favorite wedding photos (from your phone number database photographer or online inspiration) and identify the aesthetic you're drawn to.
Determine the Level of Editing Required:
Basic Color Correction/Culling: This usually involves adjusting white balance, exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, and sometimes culling (selecting the best images). This is essential for consistency.
straightening, and subtle enhancements.
Advanced Retouching: Goes deeper into skin smoothing, blemish removal, db to data teeth whitening, stray hair removal, object removal, background clean-up, and more complex adjustments.
High-End/Artistic Edits: Involves significant manipulation, composite work, HDR blending, and specialized effects for a select number of images.
Volume of Photos: How many photos do you expect to have edited? This will significantly impact pricing and turnaround time. Wedding galleries can range from hundreds to thousands of images.
Turnaround Time: How quickly do you need the edited photos back? Faster turnarounds usually incur higher costs.
2. Research and Vetting Potential Services
Once you know your needs, it's time to find the right partner.
Specialization Matters: Look for services that specifically advertise wedding photo editing. They understand the nuances of wedding photography, from varied lighting conditions (indoor, outdoor, dance floor) to handling large volumes and maintaining consistency across diverse scenes.
Portfolio Review: This is non-negotiable.
Request Full Galleries: Don't just rely on highlight reels on their website. Ask to see full wedding galleries they have edited. This allows you to assess their consistency across an entire event, how they handle different lighting scenarios, and whether their style aligns with yours on a large scale.
Look for Before-and-After Examples: Many services provide these, which are invaluable for understanding the extent and quality of their work.
Look at your favorite wedding photos (from your phone number database photographer or online inspiration) and identify the aesthetic you're drawn to.
Determine the Level of Editing Required:
Basic Color Correction/Culling: This usually involves adjusting white balance, exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, and sometimes culling (selecting the best images). This is essential for consistency.
straightening, and subtle enhancements.
Advanced Retouching: Goes deeper into skin smoothing, blemish removal, db to data teeth whitening, stray hair removal, object removal, background clean-up, and more complex adjustments.
High-End/Artistic Edits: Involves significant manipulation, composite work, HDR blending, and specialized effects for a select number of images.
Volume of Photos: How many photos do you expect to have edited? This will significantly impact pricing and turnaround time. Wedding galleries can range from hundreds to thousands of images.
Turnaround Time: How quickly do you need the edited photos back? Faster turnarounds usually incur higher costs.
2. Research and Vetting Potential Services
Once you know your needs, it's time to find the right partner.
Specialization Matters: Look for services that specifically advertise wedding photo editing. They understand the nuances of wedding photography, from varied lighting conditions (indoor, outdoor, dance floor) to handling large volumes and maintaining consistency across diverse scenes.
Portfolio Review: This is non-negotiable.
Request Full Galleries: Don't just rely on highlight reels on their website. Ask to see full wedding galleries they have edited. This allows you to assess their consistency across an entire event, how they handle different lighting scenarios, and whether their style aligns with yours on a large scale.
Look for Before-and-After Examples: Many services provide these, which are invaluable for understanding the extent and quality of their work.